GraceAnne Andreassi DeCandido
LadyHawk

BlueRoses Consulting
New York City

How to Write a Decent Book Review

I have been reviewing books for twenty-seven years and counting ó I wrote my first book review for the November
1973 issue of Library Journal. I reviewed for LJ for 19 years,
until I became editor of Wilson Library Bulletin. I currently review
childrenís books for Kirkus and childrenís and
adult books for Booklist. I have also reviewed for other publications,
most notably The New York Times Book Review (1983-84). Here are some
thoughts on what I have learned.

1. Read the whole book. That is
the very least you owe the author. You canít make a judgment on what they have
done until you know all of it.

2. Review the book in front of
you, not the book you wish they had written. You can and should point out
shortcomings or failures, but donít criticize the book for not being something
it was never intended to be.

3. Donít review in genres with
which you are uncomfortable. There is no point in having a science fiction
hater review sf, or someone who doesnít read romances
review them.

4. Think clearly about who the audience
for the review is. Is this another librarian who wants to know if s/he should
buy the book for their collection? Is this a parent who wants a good
read-aloud? Is this review for patrons looking for information on a particular
topic, or for patrons searching for a good read?

5. If possible, compare the book
to others in the genre or field of study. That helps any reader.

6. Criticize clearly and
specifically but gently. A bad book takes as long to write as a good one, and
each book is someoneís baby. But a reviewer is charged to make a critical
judgment, and fails if s/he does not do so.

7. Know the guidelines of your
reviewing medium. Some donít want plot summaries at all; some insist on them.
Some want you to say outright if you are recommending a book, others donít.

8. Be
precise in your language. If this is the best book you have ever read, say so,
and say why. If it is yet another nice little book on a nice little topic, say
that, too. Find the words to say what you mean: the author did, and so should
you.

9. Donít be cowed by a famous
name. Even famous writers sometimes do mediocre books.

10. Donít review books by people
you know, or love, or hate. It isnít fair. Only review a book once; do not
review the same title for more than one venue. This ensures that people who are
looking for multiple reviews with multiple opinions will actually get them.

Enjoy! Reviewing is great fun, and
deeply rewarding. It puts another spin on always having your nose in a book.
And it is a kick to see a quote from your review on the back of the paperback.